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America East Tournament Semifinals
Delaware 90, Maine 73

February 28, 1999

 

Delaware Basketball Downs Maine; Title Game Up Next

 

NEWARK, DE -- America East Player of the Year Mike Pegues hit on 14 of 18 shots from the field for a game-high 32 points and added 11 rebounds and five assists as the University of Delaware men's basketball team cruised to a 90-73 win over Maine in the semfinals of the America East Tournament Sunday at the Bob Carpenter Center.

The No. 1 seed and defending champion Blue Hens (24-5), who won their 12th straight game, including the last nine by 13 or more points, now move into the championship game next Saturday, March 6 when they will host Drexel. The No. 2 Dragons (20-8) beat No. 3 Hofstra 55-37 in Sunday's other semifinal.

The Blue Hens, who shot 61 percent from the field for the game (36 of 59), including a 67 percent mark (18 of 27) in the second half, took control midway through the first half and never looked back in posting the win, the team's 23rd in its last 24 home games. The Hens led 43-30 at the half and went up by as much as 30 points at 76-46 with 9:29 left to play. Maine had handed the Hens their only home loss of the season with a 70-59 victory in January.

Pegues hit for over 30 points for a school record eighth time to lead the Hens while John Gordon added 18 points and four assists, Tyrone Perry scored 14 points and dished out four assists, and Kestutis Marciulionis added 10 points in the balanced effort.

No. 4 seed Maine (19-9), which moved from last place in the league a year ago to No. 4 this season, got 24 points from guard Andy Bedard and 12 points and 10 rebounds from forward Nate Fox. Fox had scored 35 points in the Black Bears' quarterfinal win over Hartford.o No. 4 this season, got 24 points from guard Andy Bedard and 12 points and 10 rebounds from forward Nate Fox. Fox had scored 35 points in the Black Bears' quarterfinal win over Hartford.

MAINE (19-9) - Fox, 5-10 2-2 12, Meeks, 4-13 1-2 10, Ledbetter, 1-8 3-4 5, Wills, 4-8 2-2 10, Bedard, 9-18 2-4 24, Thombs, 0-0 0-0 0, Thibodeau, 0-0 0-0 0, Faison, 1-1 0-0 2, Dye, 3-8 1-2 7, Haynes, 1-1 0-0 3, Croom, 0-0 0-0 0, Marshall, 0-0 0-0 0, Totals, 28-67 11-16 73.

DELAWARE (24-5) - Pegues, 14-18 4-5 32, Marciulionis, 4-10 0-0 10, Bennett, 4-4 0-0 8, Perry, 6-12 2-6 14, Gordon, 5-7 6-6 18, Mullen, 0-1 0-0 0, Diouf, 3-4 0-0 6, Miller, 0-3 2-2 2, Arnold, 0-0 0-0 0, Gonzalez, 0-0 0-0 0, Totals, 36-59 14-19 90.

Halftime: Delaware 43, Maine 30; Three-Point field goals: M - 6-19 (Bedard, 4-9, Meeks, 1-5, Haynes, 1-1, Fox, 0-2, Wills, 0-1, Dye, 0-1), D - 4-17 (Gordon, 2-4, Marciulionis, 2-6, Perry, 0-5, Mullen, 0-1, Miller, 0-1); Assists: M - 10 (Bedard, 4), D - 18 (Pegues, 5); Fouled Out: Wills; Total Fouls: M - 19, D - 15; Technical Foul: Wills; Attendance: 5,209

 

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